Boa Vista Experience

[jak]

The low cost airline Ryanair is exploring the possibility of entering the market for flying to Cape Verde. The Irish company this week opened its headquarters in northern Portugal, in Porto, and has said it wants to be a strong competitor alongside TAP for flights to Cape Verde. Ryanair do not serve meals on board, you can not change your travel dates, and some flights, you can not even use the bathroom. This is the philosophy of 'low cost', which aims to reduce costs to a minimum to offer the customer a flight for a third of the price of other commercial companies.

But according to a study by the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), published recently, Ryanair is one of the largest 'low cost' operations in Portugal and along with other low cost airline - easyJet - has a market share combined 21%. This market share can only be compared with 37% of TAP Portugal, the 3% of Iberia and 4% of Germany's Lufthansa. Ryanair, which alone holds 7% of the Portuguese international market, has 23 routes in Porto and 13 in Faro.

The Irish company intends to "attack" TAP domestic flights and its connections to the former Portuguese colonies. What now appears most attractive is Cape Verde, about three and a half hours flight from Portugal, says CAPA.

"Ryanair is considering the route between Porto and Cape Verde. Doing so will break the dominance of TAP on the routes to its former colonies, most of which operated as a monopoly - or duopoly with state-owned company in the country" reads the work on the aviation market in Portugal.

The entry of Ryanair into the Cape Verdean market may seem like a "blow" to the prices of TACV and TAP and is also an easy, frequent and cheap way for Cape Verde to be closer to its emigrants.

A Semana

[andre]

"Considering" being the operative word, this should be widely welcomed. I would presume flights would initially be to the population base of Praia and present tourist main centre of Sal, Boa Vista possibly following. However the possibility of discount flights in their present format is a welcome addition. The downside is connecting flights together, however for those with time on their hands a day or 2 in the Douro Valley could be fascinating.

Boa Vista is a reality as a tourist destination, growth is being stifled by the present worldwide recession, however on the return to normality I have no doubt recovery will be rapid. I believe this recession could in time be seen as a good " cleanser", ridding the market of the chancers, allowing the true players to take the industry forward.

I could survive going to the toilet pre departure Porto, not drinking on the flight, facing the blue + yellow upolstery, and then landing in Cape Verde with a few extra euros in my pocket.

Andre

[MaioCV]

I think, in the long term, it could something of a double-edged sword for CV. I agree that competition will be good for the traveler. The only issue I have is that if the competitive airlines are forced to reduce the number of flights. What if passenger numbers fail to create a good enough profit margin over a sustained period, will Ryanair pull the plug, and will the original number of flights be re-instated?

I'm not too sure where TACV makes the most margins, internal or external flights and what will be the effect on them?

Again, it's a guessing game to which Ryanair route(s) are considering. I know for sure that Ryanair will have their facts and figures sorted, so will they pull off a coup and fly to SV, Praia, Sal or BV?

Perhaps this could be a 'poll' question.
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Mark.

Online Magazine Maio, Cape Verde

[elisa and andy thomas]

Any more news on Ryan air flights to CV?